2013/2014 NEWPORT & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE
For immediate release
Thursday, March 20th, 2014
WALKOVER WIN FOR STAG AS LSC STUMBLE IN POOL LEAGUE
NEWPORT (Shropshire): The outcome of this year’s Newport & District Pool League was thrown wide open on Wednesday night when the title chasing Stag in Market Drayton were handed a 0-6 walkover win and leaders LSC at the Tav stumbled to a 4-2 away defeat in Gnosall.
The Stag duly closed to within a point of LSC and Pheasant A may well have gone to the top of the league, but that result was still trying to reach HQ on a passenger pigeon as we closed for press.
Shakespeare A skipper Andy Potter had warned the Stag that his team was chronically short of players for Wednesday night’s match because of individuals’ business commitments. A ruling imposed at the start of the season determines that if a team is a no-show for a game, unless it is cancelled because of the weather or a bereavement, the opposition will be awarded a 6-0 win and the offending side will be docked two penalty points.
It seems incredulous, therefore, that the Shake did not send at least one player to honour their home fixture and prevent the two-point deduction, especially as one of the players in question was sitting in a neighbouring venue watching a match! Unfortunately, the rule was imposed after a ‘vague’ match postponement ruling had been abused by a couple of top sides last season.
LSC at the Tav blamed the poor playing surface for their dismal performance in Gnosall against the Navigation “We were beaten by the pool table,” spluttered Anthony Heathcote. The Navigation climbed to seventh in the table.
Junction A came unstuck at home to King’s Head A after winning just one frame and the Newport Legion thrashed Shakespeare B without losing a rack. Andy Miles, Wayne Dodd, Mick Beech and ‘Steve’ beat Russ Woodhouse, Jess Hilditch, Barry Smith and Kim Rigby to cruise through the singles racks and there was no way back for the visitors in the doubles.
Consolation shield finalists Railway Tavern maintained their steady improvement but they were held to a 3-3 draw by the Wheatsheaf in Upper Bar. Greg Quinn and Adam Stone lost the opening racks for the home side, but Jack Dicken and Jason Lloyd levelled the match. The pair joined forces again to seal at least a draw but the ‘Sheaf rallied in rack six and beat Stu Morrey and Dave Bristow to snatch a point.
The Horns secured both points with a 5-1 win over the Royal Navy Veterans in Bellman’s Yard. There were wins for Wayne Baker, Dai Smith and Martyn Holford for the away side, but the Vets pulled a rack back against Dave Jolley before losing the last two frames.
Pheasant B suffered a shock home defeat to Junction B. Steve Purvis edged a tense opener against Simon Walley to make it 0-1, only for Mike Jones to level the match with a win over Mick Ashforth. But Stu Till and Ryan Morris were in good form and snatched racks three and four against Luke Jones and Tom Sayce to seal at least a point. Walley and Luke Jones gave the home team hope in frame five, but Till and Morris did it again in the final frame to seal a stunning win.
Results from the remaining fixtures had not been received as we closed for press, although it was highly likely that the Haberdashers had been awarded a walkover win against the Royal Navy Seals.
2013-2014 Newport & District Pool League – positions @ 19/03/14
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
LSC @ Tavern |
16 |
14 |
0 |
2 |
72 |
24 |
28 |
|
Stag Mkt Drayton |
16 |
13 |
1 |
2 |
77 |
19 |
27 |
|
Pheasant A |
15 |
13 |
1 |
1 |
64 |
26 |
27 |
|
King’s Head A |
16 |
10 |
5 |
1 |
64 |
32 |
25 |
|
Newport Legion |
16 |
11 |
2 |
3 |
70 |
26 |
24 |
|
Pheasant B |
16 |
9 |
1 |
6 |
54 |
42 |
19 |
|
Navigation |
16 |
7 |
3 |
6 |
51 |
45 |
17 |
|
Railway Tavern |
16 |
7 |
3 |
6 |
46 |
50 |
17 |
|
Horns Gnosall |
16 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
50 |
46 |
15 |
|
Junction B |
16 |
3 |
8 |
5 |
41 |
55 |
14 |
|
Junction A |
16 |
5 |
3 |
8 |
42 |
54 |
13 |
|
Wheatsheaf |
16 |
4 |
3 |
9 |
38 |
58 |
11 |
|
Shakespeare A |
16 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
38 |
58 |
10+ |
|
Royal Navy Seals |
15 |
5 |
3 |
7 |
39 |
51 |
9* |
|
Haberdashers |
15 |
3 |
3 |
9 |
34 |
56 |
9 |
|
Royal Navy Vets |
16 |
3 |
0 |
13 |
25 |
71 |
6 |
|
King’s Head B |
15 |
2 |
1 |
12 |
27 |
63 |
5 |
|
Shakespeare B |
16 |
0 |
2 |
14 |
18 |
78 |
2 |
*4pts penalty deductions for missing two fixtures
+2pts penalty for missing one fixture
Week 16 fixtures:
Royal Navy Club Veterans v Horns Gnosall, 1-5
Shakespeare A v Stag Market Drayton, 0-6 W/O
Pheasant B v Junction B, 2-4
Junction A v King’s Head A, 1-5
Haberdashers Arms v Royal Navy Club Seals, NOT RECEIVED
Railway Tavern v Wheatsheaf, 3-3
King’s Head B v Pheasant A, NOT RECEIVED
Navigation Gnosall v LSC at the Tavern, 4-2
Newport Legion v Shakespeare B, 6-0
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com